'Need fans to realise this game is going to be like a war': Roots Hall gets ready to roar!

 

 

Any argument about the upset caused to season card holders re the £5 ticket offer in all sections of the ground at the weekend seemed to have subsided as even the most curmudgeonly Shrimpers regular is accepting a packed Roots Hall should help the league leaders continue their six match winning run.

 

The club tweeted Friday morning: 'We've sold 9,000 tickets for Sats game vs Morecambe. If I was you I wouldn't leave it long to get yours. Call 08444 770077 from 9.30am.'

 

Latest from Roots Hall Towers: 'BTW if we get a gate of 10,000+ will be the first time we have done so in League Two pre-Christmas since 19th Nov 1977. 10,990 watched 1-0 win vs Watford.'

 

Good advice, however, there have been times in the past, Yeovil at home, April 2005, near 12,000 gate anybody? (In case you've forgotten; www.sufcdb.co.uk), when a Shrimpers side haven't performed in front of an expectant following, many visiting the Hall for the first time in a while.  

 

Certainly, Blues boss Paul Sturrock is well aware there will be periods of the game where events are not going the Essex boys way.

 

Blues boss Paul Sturrock told www.echo-news.co.uk: “It’s great that we’ve sold so many tickets but we need the fans to realise this game is going to be like a war. Morecambe are very well organised and haven’t lost away from home yet this season so it will be a very difficult game. I am concerned that the extra supporters coming along will be turning up just expecting us to win because of our last few results. But nothing is ever that easy in football and we will need the big attendance to work in our favour.”

 

The final attendence could well beat the 9,724 against Charlton Athletic in February 2010, a 2-1 defeat, yes, the 'he rolled around over like a dog' game, (www.southendunited-mad.co.uk), though there will not be so many away supporters in the North Bank this time around, even with the Shrimps sixth in the table and unbeaten away from the Globe Arena.

 

The East Stand and the upper tier of the South Stand have now completely sold out, come on West Stand, and once again the veteran Scot preached patience if the scores's not 3-0 Southend early in the first half! (Though we wouldn't complain if it was!)

 

Sturrock continued:“Hopefully it will be like a carnival. I just don’t want people to get on the team’s backs if we find ourselves under pressure. I’ve seen it at Bradford when their fans can be baying for blood if it’s still 0-0 after 20 minutes. But I would ask our fans to be patient and if they’re disappointed about things then please make that known at half-time and full-time, not during the game.”

 

Hear, hear to that; let's have a party!